This blog is devoted to talking about comic book characters and elements: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

King Tut

Batman (TV Series)First appearing in “The Curse of Tut”, Professor William Omaha McElroy (played by Victor Buono) was an overweight egyptologist working at Yale University. During a student riot, he was hit on the head and got amnesia. Then, he thought he was King Tut reincarnated. He tried to take over Gotham, but the titular character and his sidekick defeated him. In the process, he was hit on the head and returned to normal. His next appearances would follow the same pattern: he would get hit on the head. Thinking he was Tut, he would go on a crime spree, only to have Batman and Robin stop him. Then, somehow he would get hit on the head and returned to normal. He couldn't get jailed, because of what he did (see insanity defense). In a notable episode, he created a drug like potion called “abu raubu simbu tu”, which he could use to “subdue the human will”. Despite being tricked in taking the drug, Batman (who was unaffected due to the fact he coated his stomach with buttermilk) got him to take the drug and he became Batman's slave and was taken to the police station, where his real self came out. In Tut's final appearance, when digging for valuable minerals near the Wayne Manor, he dug into the Batcave and discovered Batman's alter ego. Batman used a spray to mind-swipe the henchmen, but Tut escape. He was going to reveal Bats' identity, but when Batman was provoked to raise his voice, a rock hit Tut and turned him back and forgot Bat's secret. Adam West (who played Batman) said in Back to the Batcave that Tut was the only villain made for the series that was a success.Batman Confidential # 26